My Cat Has Diarrhea All The Time

How Is The Cause Of Diarrhea Determined

It is important to provide your veterinarian with a detailed medical history. Ideally you should write this out in chronological order before you go to the clinic. Be as detailed as possible on the date you first noticed a problem, and the progression of the clinical signs. Was there any change in your cats diet such as a new bag of food? Note what diets and treats your pet has eaten in the last 1-2 weeks. Note any changes in the normal routine of your cat or your household. How frequent are the stools? What is the color, consistency, and smell of the feces? Is the cat showing any other signs such as vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, or loss of weight? To help you put this history together, please see the handout “Diarrhea Questionnaire and Checklist for Cats”.

Your veterinarian will usually ask you to bring a representative sample of fresh fecal material with you to your appointment. Besides a thorough clinical exam, your veterinarian may recommend additional diagnostic tests. In mild cases of diarrhea, these tests may be deferred unless initial treatment fails or the condition worsens. In-depth diagnostic tests may include blood work, stool, and rectal swab samples for parasite examination, DNA testing and culture, radiographs , and endoscope exam.

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When Should I Be Concerned About My Cat’s Diarrhea

Most cats with acute diarrhea usually only have one episode of diarrhea, are fine afterwards and require no treatment. Causes for concern include chronic diarrhea that doesn’t resolve with treatment, bloody diarrhea, worms in stool, weight loss, loss of appetite for more than one day, or if your cat is lethargic or looks dehydrated .

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Helping An Outdoor Cat With Diarrhea

If you have an outdoor cat, monitoring their bathroom habits can be a challenge. If you suspect your cat has diarrhea, staining of fur on the back of their legs and rump, weight loss, signs of dehydration, etc, you will need to try and isolate them in an area with a large litter box or two. If your cat is used to pottying outside, you may have to use dirt instead of litter and be sure they have plenty of privacy.

All of this information helps you know what is normal and abnormal for your cat. It will alert you to problems sooner which may avoid a vet visit. These key pieces of information change in pooping habits, changes in poop color, firmness, amount, etc. are very valuable when providing information to your cats veterinarian. It may save you a lot of time and possibly eliminate a lot of extra testing.

Treating Your Cats Vomiting And Diarrhea At Home

If your cat is bright and happy, and there is no blood in the diarrhea or vomit, then you can often start by providing supportive treatment at home.

• If your cat is vomiting, withhold food for 12-24 hours.
• Very small cats and kittens should NOT be fasted at all due to a high risk of developing severely low blood sugar levels.
• Offer a bland diet in small portions. Examples include boiled rice or potatoes with cooked chicken breast or very lean hamburger, or a prescription intestinal diet.
• Recommended feeding protocol:
• Day 1: give 50% of the recommended daily amount divided into 6-8 portions
• Day 2 and 3: give 75% divided into 4-6 portions
• Day 4 and 5: give 100% divided into 3-4 portions
• Once your cat has been normal for a couple of days you can gradually re-introduce its normal food.

• Your cat should always have access to fresh water.
• On average, a cat should drink about 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. This requirement will be significantly increased if your cat is vomiting or has diarrhea.
• Ensure that your cat is allowed quiet time to rest and fully recover.
• In the case of contagious diseases, its important to avoid contact with other cats until your cat has completely recovered.

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Managing Cat Diarrhea: Causes Symptoms & Treatment

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You’ve noticed while cleaning out your cat’s litter box that they’ve been having diarrhea lately, and you’re a little concerned. Millions of cat parents witness this same issue with their cats every year. Whether your cat’s version is the soft and gooey variety, the streaky bloody style or the unfortunately watery kind, you can be sure you’re not alone in your litter box observations.

Treatment Of Diarrhea In Cats

Depending on the outcome of these diagnostic tests, your cat’s diarrhea may be treated in several different ways. Mild cases of diarrhea or those caused by less serious factors like allergic reactions may be treated with a change in your cat’s dry or moist food, restricted diet, or antibiotics for bacterial infections.

Diarrhea that is caused by more serious factors may require more extensive intervention before your cat can recover successfully. Your vet may prescribe antifungal or antiparasitic medications to kill parasites like roundworms. Diarrhea that is caused by cancer, tumors, or kidney or liver disease may require that your cat undergoes surgery and remain hospitalized until its health improves.

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Inappropriate And Toxic Foods

Outdoor cats may have an increased risk of ingestion of inappropriate food, which could lead to diarrhea. If your cat goes outside, check that your neighbors are not feeding him. Eating too much or eating food they are not used to can give a cat diarrhea. Poisonous plants are also a concern.

Treatment for cats who have eaten a toxic substance varies based on exactly what was eaten. Sometimes there is a specific remedy available that will help counteract the toxin. Other treatments may include decontamination to prevent more toxin from being absorbed and supportive care.

How Long Does Kitten Diarrhea Last

How long this lasts depends on the cause. If it’s rotavirus or a change in diet, it could be a few days. If it’s a persistent intestinal infection that has become severe, it could be longer. You’ll need a vet to diagnose the cause and discuss what kitten poop looks like, and then you can ask about how long the kitten might continue to have the problem.

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Why Does My Cat Have Diarrhea All Of A Sudden 6 Possible Reasons

When youre a cat parent, you know that there will be one or two icky messes to clean up. Occasionally, these messes are expected, especially if youve noticed that your cat isnt feeling well. However, some issues can come on more abruptly or while youre at work. One mess that you might have to deal with is diarrhea.

While its smelly, disgusting to clean up, and worrying when your cat was fine a few minutes prior, diarrhea is not always caused by serious problems. In some cases, though, it may be indicative of a serious issue. This guide will list six common causes of diarrhea in cats and go over when you need to see a veterinarian.

What To Give A Kitten With Diarrhea

When it comes to internal parasites, some worm infestations can be treated at home with over-the-counter medications. These medications will usually be treated for specific types of worms, like roundworms and hookworms, and can be purchased at pet supply stores. If you see the signs for these worms and the treatment alleviates the diarrhea symptoms, your kitten should be good to go and you can follow up with a second dose in two weeks. Keeping your kitten flea free with flea prevention, or baths in blue Dawn dish soap if they are too young for flea prevention, will also help keep parasites at bay.

When your kitten is on medications, like antibiotics, adding probiotics to their diet can help replace the good bacteria needed for optimal intestinal health. When you decide to change the foods they are eating, it is always a good idea to gradually switch over with mixtures of each so you dont shock the kittens system and cause diarrhea.

When the diarrhea persists, it is time to go to your vet for a fecal exam. The vet will be able to pinpoint the possible causes and help your kitten find relief before things progress into a bad situation. Your vet will know what is best to give your kitten to relieve diarrhea and bad gas symptoms, and hopefully solve the root cause altogether.

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When To Contact Your Vet

If your cat has had mild diarrhoea for less than 24 hours, but is otherwise fine , you may want to try settling them at home before contacting your vet . However, if he/she doesnt improve within 24 hours, gets any worse, or develops any other symptoms you should contact your vet for advice. Always speak to your vet if you have an elderly cat or kitten with diarrhoea because they are more at risk of becoming dehydrated.

Preventing Vomiting And Diarrhea

• Avoid feeding fatty, salty, or spicy foods
• Introduce diet changes slowly, over 5-7 days, to allow the intestinal bacteria to adjust.
• During times of stress, it may be helpful to use a soothing pheromone spray or plug-in adapter
• Speak to your vet about calming supplements or anxiety medication if your pet is easily stressed.
• Consider feeding a probiotic supplement if your pet is prescribed antibiotics. Always ask the advice of a vet before giving your pet supplements or medication.
• If your cat catches birds or rodents, your vet may recommend routine fecal exams to see if deworming medication is necessary.
• Roundwormsare extremely common in kittens. Your vet will recommend deworming your new kitten with an appropriate dewormer.
• Ask your vet or make an appointment with one of the FirstVet vets to discuss deworming your kitten or cat.
• Vaccinating your cat against feline parvovirus is extremely important. Kittens should be vaccinated starting at 6-8 weeks, then every 3 weeks until 16-18 weeks of age. Adult boosters will be needed to maintain immunity. Prevention of this disease is VERY important. Feline parvovirus is extremely contagious and can cause fatalities, especially in young kittens.

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Find Out Whats Causing Your Cats Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a sign of another disease or condition, not a disease itself. There are many possible causes of your cats diarrhea, but loose stool is usually attributed in some way with inflammation that occurs in your cat’s gastrointestinal tract . Some of the wide-ranging causes include:

• Parasites in the intestines, like Coccidia and intestinal worms
• Conditions, like inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, pancreatic disease, cancer or hypothyroidism
• Ingestion of toxic chemicals or poisonous plants
• Food intolerance

With many possible causes, it can be hard to take care of a new case of feline diarrhea without talking to a veterinarian. You may be tempted to immediately try changing your cat’s food without a veterinary visit. However, even if that resolves the diarrhea, the underlying causes may still be harming your cat.

Addressing Diarrhea In Cats

If your cat has diarrhea, the best course of action is to monitor them for other symptoms and call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can diagnose the source of the problem and recommend an appropriate treatment to help your cat return to health.

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Red Or Bloody Diarrhea In Cats

Bloody diarrhea is always concerning and should be addressed by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Dark red or black discoloration of feces indicates upper GI bleeding and blood digestion.

Bright red coloration within the feces or coating the feces is a sign of lower intestinal tract bleeding.

Mucus-coated feces indicates possible dehydration or parasitic infection.

What To Do If Your Cat Has Diarrhea

Treatment for diarrhea should not be attempted at home. Always talk with your veterinarian to ensure your cat receives proper treatment. Over-the-counter medications and so-called natural substances used by humans with diarrhea may actually be toxic or dangerous for your cat. It might be tempting to try to change your cats diet as a way to resolve the diarrhea, but this is not recommended. Even if a food change resolves the current issue, it does not mean that the underlying problem has gone away. You could be delaying a diagnosis and proper treatment for your cat.

Your veterinarian will need to work through a list of possible causes by examining your cat and pursuing various diagnostic tests. The earlier that this process is started, the better the outcome for your cat.

Contributed by Dr. Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP

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How Is The Cause Of Diarrhea Diagnosed

Your veterinarian will diagnose the cause of diarrhea in your cat by reviewing a detailed medical history, performing a physical examination, and in some cases, taking samples for laboratory testing. It can be helpful to document details such as when the diarrhea started, how frequent it is, and what it looks like, and note any changes made to your cats diet or environment. To help you prepare this information for your veterinarian, see the handout “Diarrhea Questionnaire for Cats”.

“Your veterinarian will likely ask you to bring a fresh fecal sample to your appointment.”

Your veterinarian will likely ask you to bring a fresh fecal sample to your appointment. In mild cases of diarrhea, further diagnostic testing may be deferred unless initial treatment fails or if the condition worsens. Additional tests may include blood work, stool and rectal swab samples for parasite examination, DNA testing, bacterial culture, radiographs , ultrasound, and endoscopic exam.

Cat Diarrhea When Is It A Concern

One of the Catster editors recently asked me a few questions about poop. She wondered whether she needed to be concerned if her cat had a single runny poop. She also wondered whether pooping outside of the litter box might be a sign of a veterinary problem. Poop doesnt exactly make the world go round, but it is something that, for better or for worse, is a major part of life. So, lets talk about cat poop and cat diarrhea!

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Heres What You Can Do About It

Cats are known for thinking they’re a bit better than the rest of us, and what pet parent can blame them? They’re regal, elegant and graceful, all at the same time. But let’s face it: Everybody poops.

And sometimes even cats get the runs.

If youre not sure how to deal with cat diarrhea, dont worry! We spoke with Kristin Lynn, a licensed veterinary nurse with DodoVet, who explained what causes cat diarrhea and what to do about it.

Can Kitten Diarrhea Go Away On Its Own

Depending on the cause, yes. If you change their diet to something that doesn’t upset their stomach or doesn’t aggravate an allergy, eventually food-caused diarrhea will stop. If the cause is a virus like rotavirus or feline enteric coronavirus, the diarrhea should stop when the virus runs its course.

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Feline Diarrhea Is A Symptom Not A Disease Or A Diagnosis

Diarrhea is a common symptom of many feline issues and illnesses. Stress, diet change, gastrointestinal infection, feline immunodeficiency virus, inflammatory bowel disease, and even certain types of cancer can cause a cat to have loose stools. Not all of these situations require immediate attention.

The occasional bout of feline diarrhea may not be a big concern if your cat is still eating normally, is active, and is behaving normally.

Sometimes we can recognize clues to what might be causing the loose stools, such as for instance, situational stresses. You may have just brought your cat home from the vet where she was boarding or being examined, or you just had houseguests that your cat isnt used to. Any such stressors can result in a bout of feline diarrhea. In the wild, cats experiencing stressful situations send chemical signals to their gut to empty everything out so that they can run away faster. Stressors such as these may have just put your kittys gastrointestinal tract into overdrive.

Mild diarrhea is also common in cats with gut disease when their diet is changed. Of course, diet change should not cause diarrhea, any more than you would get diarrhea if you ate chicken tonight and beef tomorrow night. A healthy gut should not be challenged by such variations however, most cats eating most commercial cat foods do not have healthy intestinal tracts. For those cats, diet change often induces mild diarrhea that usually self-corrects in a few days.